Can openers



D. M. BAUER June 26, 1956 CAN OPENERS Filed Feb. 2, 1956 17/ 5.; AM JINVENTORY:

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CAN OPENERS David M. Bauer, Norristown, Pa.

Application February 2, 1956, Serial No. 563,071

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-6.1)

This invention relates to can openers.

A number of the openers heretofore available, while suitable for theopening of cans for fruit juices and the like, have not provensatisfactory for the opening of cans of heavier gauge metal now in usefor beer.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a canopener which is particularly suitable for opening cans of heavy gaugemetal, such as those used for beer, but which is not limited to suchuse.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can openerhaving improved dual cutting blades, one of which forms an opening forpouring the contents of the can and the other of which pierces anopening for an air vent.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can openerhaving an operating lever with a can opening blade pivotally mountedthereon which is guided by the can side wall.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can openerhaving a plurality of cutter blades of relatively hard material forattachment to an operating lever of softer, lighter and less expensivematerial.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can openerwhich is of relatively simple construction and which can be quickly andeasily assembled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can openerhaving cutting blades with which the can top is perforated and outwithout any likelihood of separating metal fragments which might fallinto the interior of the can and which might injure the user.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the specification and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily undertoocl from the following description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a can opener in accordance with thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the canopener shown in Fig. 1, and taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig.4;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the canopener in a different operating position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the can opener shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately onthe line 55 of Fig. 4.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the can opener of thepresent invention includes a manually operable lever 10, which ispreferably made as a sheet metal stamping. The lever has an elongatedrelativenited States Patent() ly fiat central portion 11 with downwardlyextending side edges or flanges 12 to provide a channel-shaped orC-shaped transverse cross section which is resistant to bending. Theouter or free end of the flat portion 11 is preferably flared as at 13and marginal edges or flanges 14 flare outwardly therewith and convergeto the end portion 13 to provide a surface for engagement by the palm orheel of the hand of the user. The lever 10, at the other or inner endthereof, is provided with aligned short struck-in sleeves 15 for thereception of a normally horizontally disposed pivot pin 16 which ispreferably in the form of a longitudinally split tube of hardened springsteel movable with respect to the sleeves 15.

A piercing cutter 18 is provided, having a fiat portion 19, disposed onthe lower face of the lever portion 11, and a rivet 20, extendingtherethrough and through the lever portion 11, holds the cutter 18 inplace. A struck down portion 21, which engages in an opening 22 in thecutter 18, is also employed to prevent turning of the cutter 18 aboutthe axis of the rivet 20. The cutter 18 has a downwardly extendingportion 23 with a terminal blade portion 24, preferably triangular inshape, between cutting edge faces 25 and 26. The blade portion 24 isinclined rearwardly or away from the pivot pin 16.

A horizontally disposed pivot pin 30 is provided, also preferably asplit tube of the same type, in spaced relation to the pivot pin 16, andis mounted in aligned struckin sleeves 31 in the side flanges 12.

A cutter 32 is provided, U-shaped in horizontal cross section, with flatparallel side walls 33 connected by an integral arcuate wall 34, andwith a flat top section 35 normal to the side walls 33 and the arcuatewall 34. The side walls 33 have struck-in sleeves 36 for pivotalengagement on the pivot pin 30.

The lever 10 has a cut out portion 37, bounded at one end by an arcuatepart 38 substantially complemental to the shape of the arcuate wall 34of the cutter 32 and which serves as a limit stop for the cutter 32. Thecutout portion 37 also has a transverse boundary part 39 which alsoserves as a limit stop for the ends of the walls 33 of the cutter 32. j

The side margins of the cut-out portion 37 also serve as sidewise limitstops or positioners for the cutter 32.

The cutter 32, at the lower part thereof, has the lower margins of theside walls .33 inclined with respect to the plane of the top section 35with coplanar heel portions 40 and cutting edges 41 ground or otherwiseshaped in planes converging inwardly and upwardly. The cutting edges 41are continued into part of the lower margin of the arcuate wall 34 andthen, while still converging as before, curve downwardly, as at 4101, toa terminal point 42.

A leaf spring 44 is provided normally urging the cutter 32 so that theends of the walls 33 engage the boundary part 39. The spring 44 is heldat one end by the rivet 20, is disposed between the lower face of thelever portion 11 and the portion 19 of the cutter 18, and extendsarcuately around the pivot pin 30 and downwardly in engagement with theinterior face of the arcuate wall 34, on which face it has a limitedsliding movement. In order to reduce wear at the part of the wall 34engaged by the free end of the spring 44 it is preferred to provide theend of that spring with an arcuate or convex engaging part 45.

While any desired can engaging structure may be utilized for mountingthe lever 10, one suitable can gripping structure 46 comprises a centralsection 47 and a pair of arms 48 extending therefrom with lower edges 49for engagement with the top surface of the can.

The pivot pin 16 extends through and is in relatively tight engagementin openings 50 in the arms 48 to provide a pivotal connection for thelever 10. The can gripping structure 46, below the arms 48, is providedwith a pair of can wall engaging legs 51, connected by a wall 52, andhaving arcuate cut-outs 53 for the reception of the top rim of the can.The legs 51 have upwardly disposed parts 54, held in engagement with thearms 48 by rivets 56 and with spacer parts 55 extending therefrom andthrough which the pivot pin 16 also extends. The spacer parts 55position the lever on the pivot pin 16.

The mode of operation will now be explained.

With the lever 10 in a raised position, the can gripping structure 46 isplaced on the top of the can with the arms 48 across the top of the can,with the rim of the can within the cut-outs 53, and with the legs 51extending downwardly along the side wall of the can.

Upon downward movement of the free end of the lever 10, the terminalpoint 42 of the cutter 32 is brought into contact with the top wall ofthe can while the outer face of the arcuate wall 34 is guided by theinterior of the rim of the can.

Upon further downward pivotal movement of the lever 1.0, the top of thecan is punctured by the point 42 and the cutting edges 41 cut the top ofthe can and roll the out part inwardly and out of sight. The cutter wall34, during downward movement, is guided by the interior wall of the can.The margins on the top of the can where the cutting occurs are deflectedslightly downwardly so that there is no readily accessible sharp edge onthe top of the can.

Upon still further downward movement of the lever, and while the cuttingby the cutter 32 is still taking place, the piercing cutter 18 cuts asmall air vent hole in the top of the can, also with safe edges.

When the cutting has been completed the can opener can readily bedisengaged from the can so that the contents of the can are availablefor pouring.

It will be noted that the can opener does not have any locations inwhich food particles are likely to lodge, and that all parts are readilyaccessible for washing.

The use of cutting for both the pouring hole and the air vent holereduces the force required for operation while at the same time a clean,smooth and safe edge is provided when the cutting is effected.

I claim:

1. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having acentral portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontalpivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotallyconnecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardlyextending cutter member pivotally mounted on said lever at said centralportion, and a resilient member carried by said lever and engaging saidcutter member for urging said cutter member to a position at an anglewith respect to said lever.

2. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having acentral portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontalpivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotallyconnecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardlyextending cutter member U-shaped in horizontal cross section andpivotally mounted on said lever at said central portion, and a resilientmember carried by said lever and engaging said cutter member for urgingsaid cutter member to a position at an angle with respect to said lever.

3. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having acentral portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontalpivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotallyconnecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardlyextending cutter member pivotally mounted on said lever, said leverhaving an opening through which said cutter member extends and themargins of which provide limit stops for said cutter member, and aresilient member carried by said lever and engaging said cutter memberfor urging said cutter member to a position at an angle with respect tosaid lever.

4. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said cutter member isU-shaped in horizontal cross section.

5. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said resilient member isa leaf spring.

6. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said resilient member isa leaf spring with a rounded end portion engaging said cutter member.

7. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having acentral portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontalpivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotallyconnecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardlyextending cutter member U-shaped in horizontal cross section andpivotally mounted on said lever, said lever having an opening throughwhich said cutter member extends and the margins of which provide limitstops for said cutter member, and a resilient member carried by saidlever and having a rounded end portion engaging in the interior of saidcutter member for urging said cutter member to a position inclined withrespect to said lever.

No references cited.

